Things That Will Most Likely Change In London After Brexit

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Making predictions about what the UK will look like after the dust has settled on Brexit is a dangerous business. There are so many uncertainties and variables that the future is definitely murky.

However, the one unavoidable fact that remains is that Britain will be leaving the EU in 2019. That means it’s time to start preparing for life in post-Brexit London and thinking about the things that are most likely to change when the fateful day arrives.

The Job Market Will Alter

It’s safe to say that the world of work will look very different once Brexit is initiated, if only because it’s already having an impact.

90 per cent of employers have reported that they are having trouble filling skilled roles. This suggests that people from other parts of Europe are steering clear of applying for positions in the UK because they are unsure of how stable the country will be just a few months down the line.

For native Brits, this means that the time might have come to look elsewhere for work as well, especially if firms decide to conduct an exodus from London altogether. With new-age companies like Casumo offering attractive positions in an attractive setting (Malta and Barcelona), working in other parts of the continent has never been more appealing.

This shows that even if the nation’s prospects improve once it leaves the EU, however slim the chances of this happening might be, there will be a knock-on effect on the property market that is only going to gather momentum.

For first time buyers, this will obviously be a good thing, since housing could become more affordable. Renters may also be given a bit of relief from the interminable rises they have suffered in London for years.

Unless more houses are built, of course, this brief respite might not be so welcome, as the available properties will dry up and demand will outstrip supply all over again. In short, it’s unwise to hold out hopes of house prices in London becoming affordable any time soon, even with Brexit’s impact.

Live Music Will Suffer

London is one of the best places in the world to see bands, whether you’re into pop and electronic or rock, folk, jazz and blues. As well as exporting home grown talent to overseas markets, the city is also famous for playing host to international acts.

One of the reasons that it has been able to nurture new talent so effectively in recent decades is that the straightforward freedom of movement afforded by EU membership has worked both ways. British acts can tour on the continent just as easily as performers from elsewhere can make their way to the UK for live shows.

If the cost of touring rises after Brexit, with stricter border controls, tighter working visas and more bureaucracy involved in getting into the country, then musicians might skip London and the UK altogether.

This isn’t just about live music, but also any other performing arts, including theatre and comedy. It could also put off performers from further afield, outside of the EU, depending on how things play out.

Restaurants Will Be Short Staffed

This may seem like a relatively trivial point in the wider scheme of things, but London’s food culture is another of its strong points and Brexit threatens to throw a spanner in the works for the restaurant industry in the city.

Eateries have been on a hiring spree in recent months, trying to lock down staff before March 29th 2019 rolls around. This is a microcosm of the wider issues facing the job market that we covered earlier, since both skilled and unskilled roles in restaurants are often filled by migrants. The industry is already facing troubled times at the moment due to a fall in consumer spending and a general lack of confidence.

Furthermore if people from elsewhere in Europe find it harder to work in London, then the variety and diversity of the food options on offer in the capital will be diminished. It’s just one of the fears that Londoners are lumbered with today.

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